‘National Blood Service changes place public at risk’ claims Unite

Press release from Unite (Amicus section)

Thursday, 14th June 2007

Unite, the UK's largest trade union, will protest tomorrow (Friday 15
June) against the proposed changes in the National Blood Service which
the union claims will place the welfare of the public at risk.

Consultation began today (14 June) on the closure of the
Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics (H&I) function at the Cambridge
site and will be the first of a number of laboratory closures at the
Cambridge centre in Hills Road

Unite (Amicus section) Regional Officer, Ian Maidlow, said:

"It is tragically ironic that, on World Blood Donor Day, the National
Blood Service has chosen to begin formal consultation with us on the
closure of a key laboratory in Cambridge. This initial plan will mean
five highly-skilled people will probably lose their jobs and their
skills will be lost to serving the public. There are undoubtedly more
job losses planned.

"The H&I function provides an excellent service. For example, it
includes the Platelet Immunology Reference Laboratory that
investigates antibodies to platelets in a number of patient groups,
including new mothers and mothers-to-be, and families who are
genetically pre-disposed to faulty platelets.

"They have established a network of donors to support these groups
that is unparalleled in Europe, and it continues to be assessed as one
of only three top-performing laboratories in the world. How does the
Blood Service reward such a superb performance? It shuts the place
down."

A protest against the planned changes will take place at the Hills
Road site on Friday 15 June at midday.

-ENDS-

For further information please contact: Ian Maidlow on 07768 931310 or
Clare Cheetham-Wilkinson on 07857 735642 or Ashraf Choudhury in the
Unite Press Office on 020 7420 8914 or 07980 224761.

Notes to Editors:

Hundreds of Unite members working in the NHS Blood and Transplant
(NHSBT) service will hold lunch time protests on Friday 15 June at
Blood Centres across England, to protest against swingeing job cuts
and closures.

The seven centres are in Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Birmingham,
Southampton, Brentwood, and Tooting. There are also cuts at Cambridge
and Manchester.